Sports

Eagles DT Jordan Davis: Breakout Star From Last Season Is No. 10

By Jeff Kerr Sports Illustrated

Updated July 14, 2026 6:14 AM

Jordan Davis went from a first-round pick with conditioning issues to one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL.

It all happened seemingly overnight too.

Davis turned in his best season last year, a year that determined how his NFL future was going to go. He already was a solid starting defensive tackle in the league, but had trouble staying on the field due to conditioning.

The snap count for Davis prior to last year signaled rotational player. He played 45% of the snaps in 2023 before that dropped to 37% in 2024 -- and Davis played and started all 17 games both seasons.

Working on the Peloton elevated Davis' conditioning, and his game. The snap count percentage went up to 61% as Davis became one of the elite defensive tackles in the league.

This is why Davis elevated himself to No. 10 on the Top-25 players list for 2026.

Why Davis is so important

The Eagles finally reaped the benefits of developing Davis last season, as he finally found a program that could keep him on the field. Davis was one of the most productive defensive tackles in the NFL, and should have been a Pro Bowler.

Davis finished with 72 tackles and 4.5 sacks last season, both career highs. His breakout season also included nine tackles for loss and six quarterback hits -- while playing all 17 games for the third consecutive season.

Davis was also one of the elite defensive tackles in the game last season. He ranked second amongst defensive tackles in total tackles (72) and second in batted passes (6). Davis was the first Eagles player in franchise history to earn NFC Defensive Player of the Week and NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in the same season.

A season like this from Davis is why defensive tackle is the deepest position on the Eagles roster.

How Davis is paid compared to the rest of the league at his position

The Eagles paid Davis as one of the highest-paid defensive tackles in the league. Davis' extension netted him $78 million over three seasons, an average of $26 million per season.

The average annual salary of $26 million made Davis tied for the fourth-highest paid defensive tackle in the NFL (with Milton Williams), behind only Jeffery Simmons, Chris Jones and Dexter Lawrence. Simmons and Lawrence got their contracts after Davis.

Davis was heading into the final year of his rookie contract and the Eagles made sure he was part of their long-term future. They prefer to wait on Jalen Carter, like Davis, but that may not be an option.

What happens if Davis gets hurt?

An injury for Davis is paramount, considering the stalemate with Carter and his contract negotiations.

The Eagles are deep at defensive tackle, as Moro Ojomo can start on basically every team in the league. Byron Young also deserves more playing time as the No. 4 defensive tackle.

A good camp for Ty Robinson and he'll deserve more playing time as well. There's a contingency plan in place if Davis doe shave to miss time, but it becomes more of a concern the longer Carter is out.

Why we ranked Davis here

Goedert made the top-10 list based on a final vote tally from the three Eagles on SI voters: Publisher/Editor Jeff Kerr, insider John McMullen, and writer Ed Kracz. Goedert finished with 30 points, on a scale where the lowest points wins.

We're in the top-10 now, so this is the best of the best. Kerr put Davis at 11th, while McMullen had his 9th and Kracz 10th.

Here are where the other Eagles on the top-25 list landed so far.

No. 11 -- Landon Dickerson (33 points)

No. 12 -- Jonathan Greenard (34 points)

No. 13 -- Dallas Goedert (40 points)

No. 14 -- Moro Ojomo (46 points)

No. 15 Jalyx Hunt (47 points)

No. 16 -- Cam Jurgens (49 points)

No. 17 -- Tariq Woolen (49 points)

No. 18 -- Nolan Smith (50 points)

No. 19 -- Jihaad Campbell (53 points)

No. 20 -- Tyler Steen (63 points)